Thursday, July 27, 2017

* We've reached edition number 315 here in the Wednesday Hodgepodge. So: what were you doing at 3:15 yesterday?

I was picking out plants for our new landscaping (which I hope to share soon.) I was also actually driving on Route 315 right around that time!

* Is that typical?

No, it's been over a year since I picked out new plantings for the gardens.

* On a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being low and 10 being high) what's your energy level usually like at 3:15 PM?

Low - maybe a 4 or 5 - which is why that is around the time I try yo take my tea. It gets me energetic to fix dinner and get work completed before my husband gets home.

* A frisbee, a tantrum, a towel, a party, a punch, or a curveball...which have you most recently thrown or had thrown at/for you? Elaborate.

Oh....did I ever have a HUGE CURVEBALL thrown at me this week...which completely blindsided me! I may even blog about it, once the shock and anger wears off. I am trying to count to a hundred before I say anything.

(But no worries - it isn't family or friends or anything that personal.) ♥

* What are three things that would help you right now. Tell us how or why.

a. better health so I feel and sleep better

b. cleaning my basement - BIG task that has overwhelmed me!

c. less rabbits and deer eating up our gardens

* Do you think you're strong?

I know that I am, yes.

What makes you strong?

I have had a great deal of responsibility for others since I was a child - it has help mold me into the strong woman whom I am today. The old addage "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" is true in many cases. It certainly brought me a confidence inside knowing that I can handle big things; therefore I was able to lose inner fears and insecurities. I then could make decisions and take chances that has helped me meet my goals for life.

[Pinterest]

* What makes you strong?

Faith in God, my life experiences, trusting my instincts, good support network, and an amazing husband, children and family.

There were banners and streamers and balloons everywhere!Here's auntie now sneaking in a kissy-selfie with the birthday girl!

And didn't we have a nice and festive welcome out in front!

(Their entire garden is English Country Garden style -

and so much was in bloom this past weekend.)

This is only a portion of the food-these early pics were taken before all things were put out.

Candy, cookies, krispie bars and cupcakes.....

But as wonderful as the party atmosphere and the food was

the Princess of the Day was definately the highlight!One of the few smiles captured on film-cuz she's looking right at her Grammie!She's growing way too fast.She walks now. She speaks more than a few words. And she's getting her 7th tooth.

Some of the guests got them as favors from the hostess-and Katie (baby's momma) made home-made berry jamfrom berries from her gardens and Eve's mulberry tree!Everyone got a canning jar of it as a favor; and it is FABULOUS!

Here's our sweet grand-dog Derby.

She was so good with all the commotion yesterday.

And, thank you, too, dear Derby (grand dog)

for sweetly sharing your lovely home with us.

We know it's much more noise than you are accustomed,

but you were such a well behaved girl through it all. ♥

Auntie Eve and Uncle Dan spoiled the birthday girl big-time

with many wonderful vintage and new gifts -

but my very fav was her cute wee

table and chair set that Auntie re-did for her.

This was a trash-to-treasure save - and it is a solid wood antique!

I told you my eldest daughter is very crafty!

It's funny because the baby wasn't much interested

in her presents at all... till she got some new books.

She loves books!

She was "reading" them aloud to herself.

I was next to her and could hear it all-

babbling away quietly in baby speak - it was so cute.

I just adore the determination she shows on her face as she is opening it up.

Look at those pursed lips!

But the pic below wins the prize!

LOL! Book up-side down, too funny!

♥

She really loved her fuzzy birthday card, too!It has a pink and sprinkled cupcake with a 1 on it.

Thank you, Evelyn and Dan for hosting this very special birthday party!

Thursday, April 27, 2017

1. April showers bring May flowers or so the saying goes. Has your April been filled with showers? Do you carry an umbrella, wear a slicker, or make a run for it?

ANSWER: I have plenty of unbrellas - usually in the car, garage or closet and never with me. I would fail terribly in London, I'm afraid; I am a dash-fast-and-hope-I-don't-crash kind of soggy mess.

Part 2: Besides rain, what else has filled your April?

April: filled with Easter and my sick brother and my healing toe and not ever enough seeing of the grand baby girl!

2. What's something you could you give a 30-minute presentation on at a moment's notice and with zero preparation?ANSWER: I could easily chat away about darned near anything to do with tea: about hosting tea parties: planning the menus, using proper etiquette; history of tea time, and especially about antique teacups and teapots...of those I know a bit or two.

3. Share with us a favorite food memory from childhood.

LOL, believe or not my little sister just tried on Monday to get all 5 of us siblings up to her lake house for this coming weekend for her to host a "Food Memories from Childhood" surprise potluck party. I have so many to choose from that we could do, too! However, as it turned out, the house is going to be used this weekend by my sister's husband's side of the family, so we couldn't do it - hopefully we can soon. It sounds like such fun.It's weird because we almost never ate this, but I know for almost every birthday we last three kids (whom I am one) wanted mom to make macaroni and cheese with cut up hotdogs that were smothered in tomato soup for our special birthday "you can name what you want" dinner. LOL. What were we thinking?????Whadya mean we coulda had lobstah??Another great childhood food memory my little brother and I were just discussing a few weeks ago: we kids built a "fort" deep in the woods behind our house. We grew up on limestone cliffs - so there were big awesome rocks we could build up and make into a really safe and wonderful fireplace. My younger brother would gathering all kinds of wood and make me a roaring fire. Then I would make "Fort Stew," which simply was cooked potatoes, celery and carrots with wild chive and salt and pepper, and usually some bits of carbon from the fire - but we worked and played so hard that when it was ready (to us) it was heavenly tasting! My brother went on and on about that happy memory.

4. What's a song you thought you knew the lyrics to, but later discovered you were wrong? Oh, my goodness, my other brother- my older brother and I were just talking about this last night! Mine was a rock song from the 70s by Blue Oyster Cult.

Well, I didn't even know what a reaper was back then, and I know I shouldn't have known what I THOUGHT it was.... but I honestly thought they were singing

"Don't Fear the Reefer."

Yes, folks, a marijuana/pot reference. LOL. I remember thinking then:

"Oh, yes, I do fear the reefer!" LOL. So silly. I can't believe I am sharing this, haha.

5. According to one travel website, the most overrated tourist attractions in America are-Niagara Falls (NY), Hollywood Walk of Fame (California), Times Square (NYC), Epcot (FL), Seattle Space Needle (WA), and Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market (Boston). How many of these have you seen in person? Did you feel like a tourist? Did you care? Tell us about a place (not on the list) you've visited that might be considered a tourist trap, but you love it anyway.

I have been to NYC many times but never to Times Square there. I have been to the Hollywood Walk of Fame but just in passing to get to a destination - didn't do much but step on stars, haha. Loved FH and Quincy Market area - been to Boston quite a few times, but for never long enough. Loved the Freedom Trail and all the rich history found there. There are some good museums there, too. I never mind looking or feeling like a tourist, long as the local understand we mean business, and we're not naive or to be reckoned with if they had ideas about purse or wallet snatching knowing we're tourists!My favorite little tourist trap is from where I grew up on Lake Erie - called African Lion Safari. Heh. Oh, and ranking second right behind it : Enchanted Forest. Only tourists would ever go there. (And all my friends who worked there all those summers!)